Land Acquisition Brings Completion of Backbone Trail Closer At Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Submitted by Anonymous on September 28, 2011 - 12:52am

Acquisition of 5 acres along the Etz Meloy Motorway has brought the National Park Service closer to completing the 65-mile-long Backbone Trail through Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. NPS photo.

The trail stretches from Will Rogers State Historic Park in Los Angeles all the way to Point Mugu State Park in Ventura County.

The recently acquired the 5 acres is along the Etz Meloy Motorway, and is close to a popular lookout that offers a 360-degree view of the ocean, mountains, and inland valleys accessible from the Encinal Canyon Trailhead, according to a Park Service release.

The creation of the Backbone Trail has been a 25-year endeavor, involving the tireless work of citizen trail building groups like the Sierra Club, Santa Monica Mountains Trails Council, elected officials, and the National Park Service, California State Parks, and the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy. When completed, hikers will be able to walk the entire length without encountering private property gaps. Many sections of the trail are also open to mountain bikers and equestrians.

"We are so close to completion," said Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area Superintendent Woody Smeck. "Through the relentless efforts of the Los Angeles community and the tireless support of our elected officials, we have slowly but surely pieced together one of the most significant and treasured trails in Southern California."

Comments

Now, if there was some way to connect this to the PCT through the San Fernando Valley, we could hike along almost the entire Transverse Range! Good thing they are planning the Rim of the Valley park unit.